Baptisia plant named ‘Blue Mound’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Baptisia australis , ‘Blue Mound’, that is characterized by its dense, uniform, rounded, and low growing plant habit, its foliage that completely masks the bases of the main stems, its inflorescences that are held above the foliage, its 1.9 cm wide flowers that are deep violet in color and bloom from mid May to early June in northern Illinois, its high level of fertility; setting a good quantity of fruit with viable seed, its green stems that do not lodge after summer rainstorms, and its tolerance of both acidic and alkaline soil.

Botanical classification: Baptisia australis.

Cultivar designation: ‘Blue Mound’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of hybridBaptisia plant, botanically known as Baptisia australis ‘Blue Mound’ andwill be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Blue Mound’. Thenew cultivar represents a new herbaceous perennial grown for landscapeuse.

The new invention arose from an ongoing breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Glencoe, Ill. ‘Blue Mound’ was derived from a cross madein May of 1999 between an unnamed plant of Baptisia australis var.minor, as the female parent, and an unnamed plant of Baptisia australisvar. australis, as the male parent. The resulting seedlings were plantedfor evaluation in spring of 2000. ‘Blue Mound’ was selected in Octoberof 2008 as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished byrooting of shoot tip cuttings in July of 2009 in Glencoe, Ill. under thedirection of the Inventor. Asexual propagation by stem shoot tipcuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar arestable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar as observed in Glencoe, Ill. Theseattributes in combination distinguish ‘Blue Mound’ as a unique cultivarof Baptisia.

-   -   1. ‘Blue Mound’ exhibits a dense, uniform, rounded, and low        growing plant habit.    -   2. ‘Blue Mound’ exhibits foliage that completely masks the bases        of the main stems.    -   3. ‘Blue Mound’ exhibits inflorescences that are held above the        foliage.    -   4. ‘Blue Mound’ exhibits 1.9 cm wide flowers that are deep        violet in color and bloom from mid May to early June in northern        Illinois.    -   5. ‘Blue Mound’ exhibits a high level of fertility; setting a        good quantity of fruit with viable seed.    -   6. ‘Blue Mound’ exhibits green stems that do not lodge after        summer rainstorms.    -   7. ‘Blue Mound’ exhibits tolerance of both acidic and alkaline        soil.

The female parent of ‘Blue Mound’, an unnamed plant of Baptisiaaustralis var. minor, differs from ‘Blue Mound’ in being shorter inheight and narrower in width, in being less flower bud hardy in U.S.D.A.Zone 5, and in producing fewer flowers per inflorescence. The maleparent of ‘Blue Mound’, an unnamed plant of Baptisia australis var.australis, differs from ‘Blue Mound’ in having a more upright, irregularplant habit, in being taller in height, and in having stems that lodgeafter summer rainstorms. ‘Blue Mound’ can be most closely compared tothe Baptisia cultivars ‘Royal Purple’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,508) and‘Purple Smoke’ (not patented). ‘Royal Purple’ is similar to ‘Blue Mound’in having flowers that are dark violet in color and in growing widerthan taller over time. ‘Royal Purple’ differs from ‘Blue Mound’ inhaving an vase-shaped plant habit with a broad, rounded, irregularshaped head of foliage borne above the main stems, in having stem basesthat are visible below the foliage, in having fewer flowers perinflorescence, and in having flowers that are larger in width. ‘PurpleSmoke’ is similar to ‘Blue Mound’ in having flowers that are violet incolor, in having a three-week long blooming period beginning in mid-Mayin northern Illinois, and in having a bushy rounded plant habit. ‘PurpleSmoke’ differs from ‘Blue Mound’ in having stems that are gray in color,in being taller in height and not as wide growing, in rarely, if ever,producing viable seed, and in having visible stem bases beneath the mainfoliar mass.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Baptisia. The photographs weretaken of plants ten years in age as grown outdoors in a trial plot inGlencoe, Ill.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of ‘Blue Mound’ in bloom andillustrates the plant habit and flowering habit.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close up view of the flowers of‘Blue Mound’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Baptisia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of ten year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial plot in Glencoe, Ill. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Three weeks from mid May to early June in            northern Illinois.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Dense, uniform, rounded, and low growing plant            habit with flower racemes held above the foliage and foliage            that completely masks the bases of the main stems.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches an average of 109 cm in height            and 152 cm in width after ten years of growth.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility to diseases or pests            has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fine and fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Rooting of shoot tip cuttings.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Branch habit.—Densely branched; average of 117 main branches            with an average of 4 secondary branches, and 2 tertiary            branches.        -   Stem size.—Main stem; an average of 48 cm (including            peduncle) in length and 5 mm in width, secondary; average of            30 cm in length and 5 mm, tertiary; an average of 5.5 cm in            length and 2 mm in width.        -   Stem shape.—Oval.        -   Stem color.—144A.        -   Stem surface.—Hairless, satiny but slightly glaucous.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Fan-shaped in overall outline.        -   Leaf division.—3-palmate.        -   Leaf internode.—Foliage begins near the base of the main            stems, an average of 7 cm on main stem and an average of 5.5            cm on secondary branches.        -   Leaf size.—About 3 cm in length and 1 cm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—About 30 per stem.        -   Leaflet shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Leaflet base.—Cuneate.        -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.        -   Leaflet venation.—Pinnate pattern, not conspicuous, color            matches leaflet color on the upper and lower surface with            the mid rib on lower surface N137D.        -   Leaflet margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaflet surface.—Glabrous and slightly glaucous on upper and            lower surface.        -   Leaflet color.—Newly expanded and mature; upper and lower            surface N137D.        -   Leaflet size.—An average of 1 cm in length and 2 mm in            width.        -   Petioles.—Average of 5 mm in length and 1 mm in width,            clasping to stem at mature nodes, N144A in color, surface is            glabrous and satiny.        -   Stipules.—On basal 2 to 3 nodes prior to leaves; single,            ovate in shape, about 6 mm in length and 2 mm in width,            truncate base, acute apex, 137A in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal racemes of pea-like flowers on            main and secondary branches, blooms from the base to the            apex.        -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 12 cm in length and 4.5 cm in            width in mid section.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—3 to 4 weeks.        -   Flower size.—About 2 cm in depth and about 1.5 cm in            diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—Faint.        -   Flower number per inflorescence.—Average of 40.        -   Peduncle.—Round in shape, up to 23 cm in length and an            average of 5 mm in width, 144B in color, surface is            glabrous, satiny and slightly glaucous, flower internode            length averages from whorls to about 5 mm.        -   Pedicel.—About 5 mm cm in length, about 1 mm in width, oval            in shape, N144C, glabrous and satiny surface.        -   Flower buds.—Kidney-shaped, about 1.5 cm in length and 0.7            cm in width, color of petal portion is a blend of N88A and a            sliver of exposed keel portion 196A, calyx portion same as            open flowers.        -   Flower type.—Papilionaceous, held at about a 45° angle.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate, about 1 cm in length and 5 mm in            diameter, surface is glabrous and satiny, 144C in color,            persistent.        -   Sepals.—5, fused with the exception of apex of each, free            portion is triangular in shape 2 mm in width and 2 mm in            depth with an acute apex, 144C.        -   Corolla features.—Papilionaceous (4 segments) with a keel, a            banner and 2 lateral wings, lateral wings; obelliptic in            shape, about 1.5 cm in length and 9 mm in width, color on            outer surface and the inner surface is N88A, rounded apex,            oblique base, keel; only partially visible, comprised of 2            segments surrounding reproductive organs, oblong (slightly            oblique) in shape with rounded apex and oblique base, 1.5 cm            in length and 1 cm in width, upper surface and lower surface            are a blend of N88A and N88B in color, banner; orbicular in            shape, about 2 cm in length and 1 cm in width, upper and            lower surface is 90A with the basal portion 150D and mid            section marked with 146B, apex is rounded with a single            notch, surface is glabrous on all sections.        -   Receptacle.—Disk-shaped, gelatinous, 137A in color, 3 mm in            diameter and 1.2 mm in depth.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 Pistil, about 1.5 cm in length, 2 mm in width;            style is 145A in color and 5 mm in length; stigma minute,            too small to read color, ovary is superior, 146A in color, 5            mm in length and 1 mm in width.        -   Androcoecium.—10 stamens, not united, 1.5 cm in length and 1            mm in width; filament is 1.4 cm in length, 1 mm in width and            145A in color; anther is dorsifixed, 2 mm in length and            width and 168B in color, pollen is abundant and 161A in            color.        -   Fruit.—An inflated pod, technically a legume, average of 3            produced per inflorescence (open-pollinated),            elliptic-oblong in shape, average of 4 cm in length by 1.6            cm in width with a beak approx. 1 cm in length, color of            outer and inner surface when mature is a blend of 200A and            200C, walls 1.5 mm and hard at maturity, seed; average of 9            per fruit (open-pollinated), 200A in color, oval with the            hilum side more or less straight, seed compressed to            flattish, 4 mm in length, 3 mm in width and 2 mm in            thickness.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Baptisia plant named‘Blue Mound’ as herein illustrated and described.